NPA hails successful attacks in Negros

BACOLOD CITY — The New People's Army has claimed successful tactical offensives against the Philippine Army, following the staging of an ambush in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, that it reported to have killed at least five soldiers, and inflicting injuries to 10 others.

The increasing NPA atrocities recently in Negros Occidental, including the killing of an alleged military informant in Toboso town, and three civilians in Isabela, among others, took place as negotiators of the National Democratic Front and the Philippine government engaged in back channeling talks in Europe.

The ambush, which the 3rd Infantry Division clarified and described as an encounter, was in response to the call of the Communist Party of the Philippines to heighten the revolutionary armed struggle against the abuses of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, according to Dionesio Magbuelas, spokesperson of the Mt. Cansermon Command of the NPA.

The 3rd ID reported that it only suffered two fatalities and eight wounded in an encounter with about 60 rebels at Barangay Tan-awan in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, last week.

The armed clashes led to the displacement of more than 200 residents in the area, who evacuated from their homes for security reasons.

The rebel group also claimed responsibility earlier in the destructiom of P6.8-million worth of heavy equipment and construction materials used in the construction of a water dam at Tanawan in Kabankalan City.

Magbuelas admitted that the NPA suffered a lone fatality, identified only as a certain Ka Bebe, while two others were injured. But they recovered an M203 rifle grenade, more than 100 rounds of K3 Squad Automatic Rifle and six back packs

Meanwhile, Major General Dinoh Dolina, 3rd ID commander, conferred the Wounded Personnel Medal on each of the eight wounded soldiers of the 62nd Infantry Battalion in recognition of their exemplary work in preventing the NPA from staging more terroristic activities during the May 14 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.